Mail-box.



J. E. FISHER.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I9, 1912.

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

INVENTOR a? and Ab Atlar vzey WITNESSES rm Mam PLANOURAPH c0, WASHINGTON, n c.

iUMTE mps Parana option.

' JAMES E. FISHER, or BARDWELL, KENTUCKY.

MAIL-BOX.

To all whom it may concern: I Be it known that I, JAMES E. FISHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bardwell, in the county of Carlisle and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to'mail boxes.

One object of the invention is to provide a member adapted to be'operated'by deposited mail to positively indicate its deposit.

In. connection with said object, another object of the invention is'to provide a pivoted mail receiving'platform having a flag or other signal attached thereto, which signal will be in lowered position during the absence of mail on the receiving platform, and which signal will be raised and maintained in raised position by the presence'of mail on the receiving platform.

Another object of the invention is to provide on the mail receiving platform, suitable guard means to. prevent mail falling from said platform and catching between the end thereof'and the mailbox proper.

, Another object of the invention is to prov-ide means operated by a door of the box to lower the mail receiving platform upon the opening of said door, for the purpose of depositing mail on said receiving platform.

Other objects will appear from the description hereinafter following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein the preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated, and in whichdraw- 1ngs:

Figure ,1 is a longitudinal sectional view.

Fig.2 is a horizontal sectional view with the doorin openposition, and, Fig. 3 is a detailperspective view of a part of the mail. receiving platform and its connection with an actuating arm secured to the door. 1

' Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates abox'or receptacle which may be made of any suitable material such as metal or wood, which is open at one end where a low vertical wall 2 projects upwardly. At said open end is also pivoted at 3, a door 4 adapted to be locked by any suitable means.- The one form shownconsists of a staple 5 secured to the box and projecting through Specification of Letters latent.

PatentedDee. 21,1915.

Application fi led September 19, 1912. Serial No. 721,269.

the door, beyond which the staple is engaged by a padlock or the like 6. In the side walls of the box is journaled or pivoted a rod deslgnated 7 To said rod is secured a suitable mail receiving platform which as shown, comprises a frame 8 having secured thereto a screen, preferably of metal, such as 9.

, From the frame 8 depend lugs 10 which are directly. and rigidly connected to the rod 7 Ad acent the closed end of the box, the frame 8 has secured thereto a suitable weight designated 11, which normally maintains the mail receiving platform in tilted position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

Exterior of the box, to the shaft 7 is rigidly connected a staff or rod 12 having a flag or other suitable signal 13 thereon.

To the door is secured a stud or arm la having pivoted thereto a link 15, to which is pivoted a hook arm 16, whose hook is designated 17. Projecting from the frame 8 and secured thereto, is a pin or the like 18.

. rigid, would engage the top of the mail box or body 1 of the device and thereby prevent opening of the door.

In the absence of mail within the box,

the weight 11 maintains the mail receiving platform tilted and in'the position shown'in full lines in Fig. 1. Insaid position the signal will be lowered vor in the position shown in full lines in said figure. Upon the deposit of mail within the box, the postman unlocks the door 4 and lowers the same to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig.1

and in full lines in Fig. 2, in which position the mail receiving platform rests upon the top of the wall 2, which wall thus serves as a stop to limit its movement. In moving to open position, the door due to the pivotal connection of link 15 and hook arm 16, moves said hook arm to position, where the hook 17 engages the pin 18 so that the same will, by further movement of the door, move the mail receiving platform to horizontal or lowered position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. During such downward movement of the mail receivlng platform, by reason of its rigid connection to the pivotrod-iand the rigid connection of the'staff 12 and 'Signal 13 with said rod, the signal is lifted or moved to a v'ertical position or the position shown in'dotted lines in Fig. 1. From this position of the signal the owner ofzthe box may determine that mail has been deposited in the box. -While the mail receiving platform is in lowered position the mail is deposited thereon and its Weight" is suflicient to maintain the receiving platform in such position after deposit, so, that at all timeswhile the mail is thereon, the signal will indicate such fact. After the mail has been-removed 'from the receiving platform, the weight 11 ,will-restore said platform to tilted position and accordingly lower the signal. When f the door 4 is closed, the pinfmember l8 and 111001: member lfi'aredisengimged so" that said parts do not affect the return of the receivinq platform to tilted position.

' lhe means for lowering the mail rece1ving platform, by means oft'he door as shown,

' article should be deposited for, collection within the mail box 1, the door 4: is unlocked and-the letter placed .upon the mail receiving to the mailbox 1.

is only one form and; it isto be understood that the same may be varied. g V r When it is desired that a letter or other member'8, the weight of the lettencansing the said Zmember to remain, in-low red or horizontal position thereby causing the signal staff 12 to extend vertically with respect The movement of the door 4: upon its hinge, 3 causes the mail receivingmember 8' to belowered or swung into 'liorizontal position, 1 in which position it will remain'nntil'the letter or other article thereon removed y t po man during collection.

' It'is also to be understood thit-t11e ptferred embodiment of my invention only has been illustrated and described, andflthat changes in the details of construction there'- of. be madewithinthe spirit and scope of the appendedclaims. 1

Having thusdescribed my saidfinvention,

to secure by Letwhatl claim and desire ters Patent 1s 1. 'Ina mail box, a pivoted'receiving plat form, a hinged door, a support for said plat- ..form', and a hook memberp'ivoted tojsaid door and normally disengaged' from said platform, said hook member being adapted to automatically engage said platformwhen the door is opened'to move the same to a horizontal position,

:2. In a mail box, a PIVDtBd ma il receiving platform, ahinged door, a, support for said platform, and a pivoted hook member normally out of engagement With said platform and carried by said door engageable with said mail receiving platform; to'lswing the latter into engagement with said support during the] opening of the door.

3. in a mailbox, a mail receiv1ngplatform, a pivotmember to which the same is secured. intermediate its ends, a signal secured to said pivoted member upon the exterior of the box, a weight on said member normally maintaining the said member raised, a pro ectmg memberonsald rece1ving platform, a'hingeddoor, a hook arm pivoted to said door and disposed in-the path of said projecting niember to actuate the i-na il receiving platformthrough the movement of the doorpand a-wallagainst which the mail receiving platform abuts to limit itsmovement;

within the said" box, a pivotmember to which the same is secured intermediate its ends, a signal secured to said pivot member upon the" exterior of the mail box adapted to be actuated according to thefmovement of the saidreoeiving platform, a' weight on in'g'j-said platform atan inclinationya pr-ojecting- .memberon said mail receiving platform, a hinged door, a stud projecting. in-

wardly fromthe free of the said door-,1" a hook arm pivoted to said stud disposedin the'pat'h' of the said, projecting member to.

to thefmo-vem'ent of the door, the movehorizontal position whereit is retained by form arranged within the said box, adapted to be normallyisupported, at an inclination,

a' pivot member-to which the same is secured intermediate its'ends, one endofthe said pivot m'ember projectingexteriorly of the mailbox, a signal secured. to the extended {portion of the pivot member adapted to ex-- tend atvright angles to thesaid-mail reeeiv- "said receiving platform normally maintain 100. actuate the mail receiving platform according platform, a weight'on said mail receiv ing platform to normally maintainithe-said platform at an inclination,aprojecting memfiber on said mall receiving platform, a

hinged door, a stud projecting inwardly fromthe free end of the said .doo'r,i5a"hook arm+pivotedto the said stud and disposed the path of said projecting member to actuate themail receiving platform according to the niovement of the door, the door when opened ad'aptedto force the said mail receiving platform to a'substantially horizontal position where it ismaintained by 7 85 4.1a amailbox, a inail'receiving'platform normally supportedat aniurcl rnatlonv the mail matter deposited thereon, means acting as .a stop for the said platform, as earned by the said receiving platform to and for the purpose set forth.

prevent movement of the'mail matter beyond I the pivot point thereof, and a Wall formed FISHER from the said mail boxagainst which the Vitnesses:

mail receiving platform normally rests OSCAR BODKIN,

when in a horizontal position, the said Wall W. R. 'HASCHWOOD.

I Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. i 

